The approach to UAV image acquisition and processing for very shallow water mapping

Shallow water areas need to be protected and continuously monitored as a habitat for diverse flora and fauna. These environments are subject to changes caused by both local phenomena, such as tides, and global phenomena, such as global warming. Efficient measurement techniques are needed to optimize...

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Main Authors: Paulina Kujawa, Jaroslaw Wajs, Krzysztof Pleśniak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569843225002511
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author Paulina Kujawa
Jaroslaw Wajs
Krzysztof Pleśniak
author_facet Paulina Kujawa
Jaroslaw Wajs
Krzysztof Pleśniak
author_sort Paulina Kujawa
collection DOAJ
description Shallow water areas need to be protected and continuously monitored as a habitat for diverse flora and fauna. These environments are subject to changes caused by both local phenomena, such as tides, and global phenomena, such as global warming. Efficient measurement techniques are needed to optimize the cost and time of data collection and processing. Equally important is to ensure that data processing achieves the highest possible accuracy, especially for depth measurements affected by refraction. The aim of this paper is to present several approaches to data processing, based on the availability of measurement instruments and programming skills, each offering different levels of accuracy. In this study, RGB images were collected from an unmanned aerial vehicle over a Polish lake, together with reference data from a single-beam echo-sounder and GNSS measurements of shallow water profiles. Several processing paths were proposed, including sun glint masking, photogrammetric processing, refraction correction, and the creation of three output models: a point cloud, DEM, and orthomosaic. The expected accuracies are discussed, along with recommendations for the best method, taking into account the strengths and limitations of each approach.
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spelling doaj-art-a8efe8d2d6684910b43ec1f2b93e81f62025-08-20T03:22:11ZengElsevierInternational Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation1569-84322025-07-0114110460410.1016/j.jag.2025.104604The approach to UAV image acquisition and processing for very shallow water mappingPaulina Kujawa0Jaroslaw Wajs1Krzysztof Pleśniak2Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Na Grobli 13, Wroclaw, 50-421, Poland; Corresponding author.Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, Na Grobli 13, Wroclaw, 50-421, PolandState Water Holding Polish Waters, Norwida 34, Wroclaw, 50-950, PolandShallow water areas need to be protected and continuously monitored as a habitat for diverse flora and fauna. These environments are subject to changes caused by both local phenomena, such as tides, and global phenomena, such as global warming. Efficient measurement techniques are needed to optimize the cost and time of data collection and processing. Equally important is to ensure that data processing achieves the highest possible accuracy, especially for depth measurements affected by refraction. The aim of this paper is to present several approaches to data processing, based on the availability of measurement instruments and programming skills, each offering different levels of accuracy. In this study, RGB images were collected from an unmanned aerial vehicle over a Polish lake, together with reference data from a single-beam echo-sounder and GNSS measurements of shallow water profiles. Several processing paths were proposed, including sun glint masking, photogrammetric processing, refraction correction, and the creation of three output models: a point cloud, DEM, and orthomosaic. The expected accuracies are discussed, along with recommendations for the best method, taking into account the strengths and limitations of each approach.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569843225002511UAVPhotogrammetrySfM processingRefraction correctionSun-glintShallow water
spellingShingle Paulina Kujawa
Jaroslaw Wajs
Krzysztof Pleśniak
The approach to UAV image acquisition and processing for very shallow water mapping
International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation
UAV
Photogrammetry
SfM processing
Refraction correction
Sun-glint
Shallow water
title The approach to UAV image acquisition and processing for very shallow water mapping
title_full The approach to UAV image acquisition and processing for very shallow water mapping
title_fullStr The approach to UAV image acquisition and processing for very shallow water mapping
title_full_unstemmed The approach to UAV image acquisition and processing for very shallow water mapping
title_short The approach to UAV image acquisition and processing for very shallow water mapping
title_sort approach to uav image acquisition and processing for very shallow water mapping
topic UAV
Photogrammetry
SfM processing
Refraction correction
Sun-glint
Shallow water
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1569843225002511
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